Growth and Spectral Properties of Nd3+:NaLa(WO4)2 Crystals

Nd3+:NaLa(WO4)2 crystals with a dimension up to 7 mm were grown from a high temperature solution using a double-crucible method. Scanning electron microscopy observations of the crystals showed that there were no small cracks on the surface of the crystals although they underwent two phase transitions when cooling down from high temperatures. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that the as-obtained product is pure low- temperature tetragonal Nd3+:NaLa(WO4)2. The absorption and fluorescence spectra for Nd3+:NaLa(WO4)2 were measured at room temperature. The absorption band at 804 nm has a wide full-width half maximum of 23 nm whose origin is discussed. The absorption and emission cross sections were calculated to be 7.24*10-20 cm2 at 804 nm and 6.54*10-20 cm2 at 1057 nm, respectively.